Cameroon’s Cotton Development Corporation (Sodecoton) has awarded a contract to Bercotech to supply, install and commission a solar photovoltaic power plant at its Touboro ginning factory, according to a decision dated Dec. 4.
The contract is valued at 289.7 million CFA francs, tax included, with a completion period of 180 days from notice to proceed.
The award follows a restricted international tender launched on Sept. 17, 2025. The project forms part of Sodecoton’s strategy to improve the energy efficiency of its industrial facilities and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.
The procurement process included a pre-selection phase that shortlisted 13 companies, including EDF Cameroun, Energy Arno, CFAO Technologies & Energy and Parlym Drone. The project follows on from an initial tender launched in October 2024.
The project involves the construction of an off-grid solar power plant with a minimum capacity of 110 kVa, designed to operate alongside the site’s existing thermal power facilities, which comprise 1,500 kVa and 110 kVa generators.
Designated as a pilot site, Touboro will initially use the solar installation to independently supply power to auxiliary facilities, including offices, staff housing, warehouses and exterior lighting. In the longer term, the solar infrastructure is expected to gradually replace the 110 kVa generator and double available capacity to also supply workshops, the garage and the fire safety network.
Until 2017, the Touboro factory was supplied by the national grid operated by utility Eneo. Rapid population growth, urbanisation and increasingly frequent power outages subsequently prompted the company to seek energy autonomy, relying almost entirely on diesel generation.
The main 1,500 kVa generator consumes an average of 250 litres of diesel per hour and operates for up to 22 hours a day over four to five months during the cotton season. A 110 kVa backup generator, which consumes about 7 litres per hour, supplies offices, housing and lighting.
Rising diesel prices in 2023, combined with fuel supply constraints, reinforced the need to identify a more sustainable alternative. In this context, solar photovoltaics emerged as the preferred solution.
Amina Malloum
